


Promising

by magifrog



Category: One Piece
Genre: F/M, not exactly romance not exactly not
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-06
Updated: 2015-05-06
Packaged: 2018-03-29 08:27:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 836
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3889414
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/magifrog/pseuds/magifrog
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Zoro and Tashigi get stuck in a cave together Avatar-style and Zoro opens up to her about Kuina.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Promising

“You really annoy me, you know.”

“You’re the one who’s annoying me! Why is it that every time a catastrophe happens, your crew is in the middle of it?”

“It’s too late now, anyway. We’re stuck here until the battle’s over.” Zoro stared at the ceiling of the cavern they were trapped in, cursing his luck. To be honest, he didn’t have any doubts about the outcome of the battle outside- Luffy was capable, he had proven it over and over again. What he was itching for was the thrill of battle, proof of his own capabilities. It didn’t help that he was trapped with a marine captain who looked exactly like Kuina.

“How can you be so laid back at a time like this? We need to figure out how to dig our way out, don’t we?”

“Nah, s’fine, Luffy can just smash this open later. Besides, we don’t have anything to dig with besides our swords and our hands.” Tashigi scowled, kneeling down and starting to toss away boulders from the former entrance. Zoro just laid back, studying the way light from the few holes in the newly made wall illuminated sparkling crystals hidden in the rocks above.

It would be beautiful, if the situation wasn’t so pitiful.

Eventually, the clashing of swords and the grunts and groans of battle tapered to an end, and Zoro sat up. Had the fight moved on without him? Those idiots, forgetting to free him before heading to the next battle! He knelt down next to Tashigi and dug silently, trying to preserve some shred of pride.

“Who was she?”

“Huh?”

“You’re always telling me I look like your dead friend, so I want to know who she was.”

“Well, she was… I dunno, I haven’t really talked about it to many people, I…”

“Roronoa Zoro,” said Tashigi solemnly, looking him in the eye. “We aren’t pirates or marines now, alright? We’re just humans trying to find a way out of this situation.”

“This from someone who condemned me as evil, huh?” Zoro paused, letting dirt filter through his fingers. It had been a long time, but he figured now was as good as ever to explain himself. “I guess… she was my role model, she was the dojo master’s daughter, and she could beat any one of us- sometimes all of us at once.”

“Then she was a swordswoman? Was she also a pirate hunter?”

“She didn’t… really…  make it that far.”

“Oh.” Tashigi stared down at the ground, trying to find words of comfort.

“Hey, don’t feel sorry for me, it’s annoying.”

“How am I supposed to feel? You’re upset.”

“You’re a marine, don’t be so empathetic towards your enemy.” Zoro stood up, kicking the rock wall hard. “Otherwise, you won’t be able to capture me so easily, right?”

“You’re probably right, but I still can’t help but feel for you.” Another harsh kick to the wall, dislodging pebbles and showering the two with dirt.

“You’re so annoying! Why can’t you just- Be a little less like her, or just be her, just don’t be in the middle like that!”

“It’s not my fault! I really don’t-”

More kicks to the wall. Tashigi retreated away, fearing a boulder might fall next. A twisted look she had never seen on anyone crossed the pirate’s face, and even in her amazement she realized that she had never seen Zoro as hurt as this, even wounded past the point of a normal man’s tolerance.

Slowly, he made his peace, taking deep breaths and reminding himself of his purpose and promise.

Gently, Tashigi put a hand on his shoulder, flinching when the swordsman tensed up.

“Don’t do that.”

“You’re upset.” She rubbed Zoro’s shoulder gently, and he sighed.

“I’m your enemy, idiot,” he murmured, but slipped a hand around her waist in a reluctant hug. He felt warm and alive, his heartbeat distinguishable through their layers of clothing.

And for a moment, Zoro felt more healed. He hadn’t thought that Kuina’s was a wound that would reopen like this, or that he would feel this amount of grief after coming so far and being so close to achieving their dream. He had never imagined someone like Tashigi being able to rip him apart like this.

“Zoro,” she said quietly, continuing to rub his shoulder. “I don’t want you to think of me as a copy, alright? I want to care about you on my own, out of hate or love, whether it ends in your defeat or your reformation.”

“Or neither,” added Zoro a little amusedly, smirking.

“Never, I’ll absolutely stop your unlawful plans.” She was smiling too. “That’s a promise.”

“It’ll be hard if you keep caring about me so much.”

“Nope! It was a part of the plan all along,” Tashigi teased, wrapping her arms tightly around Zoro’s chest. “I absolutely caught you, see?”

“Unfair,” Zoro laughed, lifting the smaller captain up.

“H-hey!”

If it wasn’t exactly the start of a friendship, it was definitely a promising rivalry.

 


End file.
